How to use the subclass 482 visa to work in Australia as a Filipino
If your employer in Australia can’t find a suitably skilled local worker to fill your role, the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) could be your pathway to living and working there temporarily. This is a sponsored visa — meaning an Australian employer must nominate you — but it covers a wide range of skilled occupations and comes in three streams depending on your situation.
Here’s what the Department of Home Affairs source page tells you about each one.
Basic eligibility across all streams
Before you look at which stream suits you, there are three things every applicant must satisfy:
- You must be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor.
- You must have the right skills to do the job.
- You must meet the relevant English language requirements.
One more thing worth flagging now: skilled visa income thresholds are increasing in line with changes to annual Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings, with updates taking effect from 1 July 2025. This affects what your employer must pay you, so check the current thresholds before you or your sponsor begin the nomination process.
The three streams — and which one fits you
Core Skills stream
This is the most common route. It’s designed for employers addressing labour shortages where they genuinely cannot source an appropriately skilled Australian worker. To qualify under this stream, your occupation must appear on the Core Skills Occupation List.
If granted, you can stay in Australia for up to 4 years. If you hold a Hong Kong passport, that extends to up to 5 years. The visa costs from AUD 3,210.00.
Specialist Skills stream
This stream is for higher-earning professionals. Your occupation must be an Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) occupation listed in Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6, and your nominated salary must meet the Specialist Skills Income Threshold — a specific dollar figure set by the Department.
Stay length and cost are the same as the Core Skills stream: up to 4 years (up to 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders), starting from AUD 3,210.00.
Labour agreement stream
This stream applies when your prospective employer has a formal Labour Agreement with the Australian Government — a negotiated arrangement between the Department and specific employers. If your employer operates under one of these agreements, this is the stream you’d use.
Stay length under this stream is up to a maximum of 4 years, depending on the terms in the labour agreement. Hong Kong passport holders may stay up to 5 years. Cost again starts from AUD 3,210.00.
Processing times and what to expect
The Department of Home Affairs does not publish a fixed processing time for the subclass 482 on this page. Instead, it directs applicants to use the visa processing time guide tool on the Department’s website, which shows processing times for recently decided applications. The page notes clearly that this tool is a guide only and not specific to your application — so treat any figure you see there as an indication, not a promise.
What this visa does not do
The subclass 482 is a temporary visa. It is not a permanent residence pathway on its own. That said, many Filipinos use it as a stepping stone — this gets tricky if your occupation or employer situation changes mid-visa, so plan carefully from the start.
The cost listed (from AUD 3,210.00) is the base application charge. Additional costs — such as health examinations and skills assessments — are not detailed on this page.
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This is general information, not migration advice. For your specific case, consult a MARA-registered agent — find one in our directory.
First published by the Department of Home Affairs, Immigration and citizenship website. Read the full source at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482
